


The Thing Between Us

by Tazz96



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter/Funhaus RPF
Genre: Friends With Benefits, Friends to Lovers, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-17
Updated: 2016-05-04
Packaged: 2018-04-26 17:36:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,770
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5013790
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tazz96/pseuds/Tazz96
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Relationships are hard, especially when you don't know how  to define them. So when Michael starts having sex with Gavin things become a little messy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Deviating

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first Rooster Teeth fanfic and my first RPF, really hope you enjoy and please give feedback.

When he really thought about it, this entire thing was Gavin’s fault, but then again most things usually were Gavin’s fault. It’s actually surprising that it took Michael this long to come to that conclusion. Something’s broken? Gavin’s fault. Something’s missing? Gavin’s’ fault. The soft press of pliant lips against your collar bone as someone snuggles with you in their sleep, their arm draped heavily over your stomach?

Fucking Gavin, no pun intended.

A small puff of air ghosts across Michael’s neck, as Gavin breathes against him, his brow furrowing as he wiggles next to him trying to settle in a comfortable position. Of course Gavin would be just as annoying while he sleeps as when he’s awake and just like the conclusion that this is all Gavin’s fault, this shouldn’t be surprising. But then again this wasn’t something he thought he’d have hands on experience with, yet said friend’s ass is currently grinding back into his morning wood. Something which he finds annoyingly enjoyable. 

The wiggling is part of Gavin’s usual morning routine and it normally indicates that he’s dragging himself up from the depths of sleep to the land of the living.

Michael chooses to ignore how well he apparently knows Gavin in favour of watching him wake up. And like clockwork Gavin groans loudly into the empty space of the room and blinks his eyes open, the sunlight bursting through the blinds falling on to his face eliciting another groan as he brings his arm up to cover his eyes.

“God why is it so bright out?” he whinges. 

“It’s too early for me to deal with your shit Gav.” Is the clipped response he receives before he's being pushed out of the bed and on to the floor with a rather loud bang, something that also happens to be routine at this point. This of course is followed by more whinging resulting in Michael rising from the bed, snatching a pair of boxers from the floor and chucking them in Gavin’s face, before moving on to the bathroom for a shower.

“Now I know what it feels like to be rage quit.” Is the snarky reply that follows him before he shuts the bathroom door on his friend.

Stepping into the shower he lets out a sigh of a relief as the hot droplets bounce across his skin. By the time he’s done, Gavin will be gone and the next time he’ll see him will be at work, where neither of them will acknowledge the events of that night or this morning. 

It’s driving Michael fucking insane. This, thing that they’ve been doing has been going on for a long time now and Michael has no idea what to do about it. I mean he’s fucking his best friend, who happens to be a dude and Michael is not gay. So seriously, what the fuck is going on? 

He finishes washing up and as predicted Gavin is long gone when he exits the bathroom. The only evidence that he'd even been there at all are the two impressions in the bed sheets instead of one.

Michael sinks down on the edge of the bed burying his head into his hand and releases a rather long, rather loud groan.

"That was rather loud."

Michael snaps his head up so fast at the unexpected voice that it’s a miracle he doesn’t get whiplash.

"Why are you still here?"

Instantly Michael feels a little guilty for the harsh tone he uses, especially after Gavin proceeded to place a cup of coffee and a bacon sandwich on the bedside table. This feeling was overshadowed however, by the awkwardness he’s feeling as this deviates from everything they’ve normally done up to this point. 

Gavin smiles sheepishly, scratching the back of his head making his hair look even wilder than it had before. He leans casually against the door in the t-shirt from last night, and what appears to be Michael's boxers as he takes a sip from his own drink before looking at Michael with a curious expression. 

"Is it not OK for me to still be here?" He asks.

Gavin looks insecure and Michael was beginning to regret kicking him out of bed this morning when he was being so unusually nice.  
"No it's fine." He says taking a bite of his sandwich and trying valiantly to suppress a moan but glad that he doesn't quite manage it when he sees the pleased smile on Gavin's.  
They both finish their beverages and in Michael’s case food when Gavin moves over to the bed to sit beside him. They're both quiet for a while and the silence is grating on Michael so he decides to say something.

Except he doesn't get the chance because as he turns to look at Gavin he finds a pair of soft but slightly chapped lips pressing against his own.  
He’s being kissed.

Gavin is kissing him and he realises this is the first time they've done this without the aid of alcohol. Kissing Gavin is a lot different than kissing a girl. For one he's never kissed a girl and felt their stubble scratching at his mouth because they haven't had the opportunity to shave yet. Which of course brings back the fact Gavin is most definitely a dude.

Not that he has much of a choice to dwell on that or even reciprocate in any way, which Michael is slightly angry about because a) he was kind of enjoying it and b) he doesn't want Gavin to think he's a shitty kisser.

He's about to say as much but when he opens his eyes (and when did he even close them) and looks at Gavin he has a slight blush painting his cheeks, twisting his hands and anxiously biting his lip. Though the last part really just drew Michael's attention back to his mouth.

Gavin cleared his throat and set his gaze upon Michael looking more serious than he'd ever seen him. "I wanted to do that without there being any excuses.”

He runs a shaky hand through his hair. "We've been at this for so long now that I've forgotten when we started. I mean I can't even get with girls anymore because it feels like cheating and we're not even together.”

There’s a slight pause before Gavin move his eyes away from Michael and to the now empty cup in his hands, as if it has all the answers.

“I’m not the one who talks about the serious shit Michael, but we’ve got to sort out what's going on between us. That's why I stayed today. That's why I always want to stay."  
After he's finished Gavin releases a shaky breath and looks expectantly at Michael, but what on earth could he say in response to that.

Before the silence can be drawn out any longer Gavin pushes himself to his feet, smiling, but it's tinged with disappointment. He pulls on the rest of his clothes, gathering everything he'd brought with him before pressing another quick and delicate kiss to his lips.

"I know I've taken you by surprise but sometimes I can manage to be less of an idiot than I usually am. I'm going to give you some time to think this over, but we have to sort this out Michael. I'll see you at work okay."

Then he's gone.

And Michael?

He’s really _not_ okay.


	2. Catalyst

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alcohol is had and things begin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've bumped up the rating but this is my first time writing the sex so don't be expecting much.
> 
> Also I'm British so ignore the S's and the use of 'U' in colour.

Chapter 2 – Catalyst

6 Months Earlier

It all starts with an amicable breakup.

Michael loves Lindsay, he really does, and she loves him back, but after moving in with each other it became increasingly clear to the both of them that they were meant to remain friends. 

It’s kind of strange how easily they fall back in to their friendship. Michael thought when they’d both said no hard feelings it had just been one of those things people say to each other, but Lindsay’s got a date Friday night with a guy she met in Target, and he couldn’t care less.

Well he still cares, if the guy turns out to be a prick he’ll punch the fucker in the face. Lindsay deserves the best, but other than that he’s not all that invested in her love life.  
Gavin however hasn’t gotten the memo. 

Halfway through the day Gavin comes bounding in to the Achievement Hunter Office pulls Michael’s headphones out of the computer allowing the audio from the Rage Quit he was editing to blast out in to the office. 

“Jesus Christ Gav try to be a little less obnoxious alright.” He sighs quickly switching off the audio.

Gavin isn’t paying attention though as he grabs the armrests of his chair and swings Michael around to face him pointing to himself and then Michael.

“Me, you, bevs later.”

The invite confuses Michael slightly, not because it was overly energetic and came from Gavin of all people, who doesn’t actually know how to make plans. But because while he appears to be smiling, he looks kind of sad and Michael has no idea what’s wrong with him but it’s making him…feel things. And not the normal feeling of wanting to put his smug face in a headlock but the overwhelming urge to wrap his arms around Gavin and comfort the clearly distressed lad. 

Instead of succumbing to the weird and sudden urge, he gives a grunted affirmative and that seems to do the trick, as the brit smiles widely offering a “later boi” before bouncing out of the room.

Michael doesn’t see Gavin again till the end of the day when they need to get a Minecraft Let’s Play done before they all leave. He hadn’t really thought about how weird that was until he sees him again, their desks are right next to each other. So where the fuck has that little shit been all day? 

They finish the Let’s Play without any problems which is a rarity, and while Michael is packing up he notices a shadow hovering over his shoulder. 

Gavin is lingering behind him shifting his weight from foot to foot nervously as he waits and Michael thinks it’s the quickest anyone in the office has ever finished up. Like seriously, they’ve been done for about 10 seconds. It probably means Gavin hasn’t actually turned anything off.

He kind of wants to say something to him but he can’t really be bothered getting into it, so he leaves Gavin to himself and collects his stuff at a normal, human speed. Actually he probably goes a little slower to fuck with him. If Gavin wants to break his shit, then he can go ahead but Michael would actually like his Xbox to work. 

Once Michael gets his shit together he turns toward Gavin and pins him with the most irritated and unimpressed look he can muster. 

“If you’re going to be a jittery little shit all night then I’m not coming out with you. I’d rather stay home and play video games.”

Gavin’s eyes widen and he latches on to Michael’s shirt with a grip so strong he begins to question whether his wet noodle friend has been taken over by the body snatchers. Gavin opens and closes his mouth for a few seconds before he whines loudly down Michael’s ear. 

“But Michael! You can’t do that! We have to get bevs because… because… y’know bevs…” He trails of uncertainly as Michael looks at him again.

“If the fidgeting was pissing me off what makes you think I’d want to put up with you whining like a bitch.” He sighs hoisting his backpack onto his shoulder while simultaneously dislodging Gavin’s hand from his arm.

And yes Michael has a backpack, fuck you, he plays video games for a living and can’t grow a beard, he clearly doesn’t mind looking like a sixteen-year-old kid. 

“Also we have to get because bevs? What kinda sense does that make? Has your pea sized brain gotten even smaller? That was a rhetorical question by the way, I don’t need an answer.” 

Michael only gets a few steps away from his desk before he stops and turns back and looks at Gavin expectantly who is still stood in the same spot.

“Jesus Christ Gavin you dumb fuck. Why are you just standing there? Let’s go.”

Then of course when they get outside they do an immediate U-turn and go back in, because while Michael had faith in Gavin not being a complete and utter moron it was clearly misplaced as the idiot had failed to realise that neither of them could drive and therefore had to sit and wait for an Uber. 

+

They’re several beers in before Gavin finally tells him what’s wrong. They had forgone the bar and just gone to Michaels to get drunk and play Halo instead. Gavin has been steadily shooting ‘Million dollars but…’ and ‘Would you rather’ questions at him when Gavin asks him one he’s already heard before. 

“Man I heard that one from Lindsay already and I’m with her. I’d watch my own birth any day. I mean it’s a monumental moment, I’ve just arrived in the world. Why would I choose to relive the worst moment of my life over that? Fucking no brainer Gavin.”

Gavin’s character dies on screen and when Michael turns to look at him he has this constipated look on his face. 

Seriously what the fuck?

“What the fuck is up with that face? You’re ugly on a good day but that face takes the fucking cake.”

Gavin bites his lip.

“I just wanted some bevs with my boi and make him happy.”

Which okay that kinda knocks Michael for six because, what the fuck. No seriously what the fuck is going on in his life right now. Michael may be drunk but he’s pretty sure Gavin is being unusually weird.

“Look dude I need more than that okay. You’re kinda talking out of your ass.”

Gavin sits up straight and places both his hands on Michael’s shoulders turning to face him, his knee up and resting between them on the couch.

“I just wanted to take away your Lindsay heartbreak.”

Michael’s alcohol addled brain isn’t allowed time to puzzle that out and inform Gavin that he isn’t heartbroken because Gavin pitches forward and places his lips against his. 

What. The. Fuck. 

Michael has the passing thought that this is not something friends do. Not even in the kinda friendship that he and Gavin have which admittedly involves a lot more dick touching than is normal with heterosexual, platonic friends. Then again Gavin did kiss him so maybe he’s not as heterosexual as advertised. Michael can’t really talk though because he allows his controller to crash to the floor as he brings his hands up to grip at Gavin’s head, threading his fingers through his hair and pushing back into the kiss. 

Things kinda go downhill from there. 

Or uphill depending on your thoughts when it comes to fucking your friends.

Michael, a self-proclaimed straight man, has no hands on experience with how two dudes get it on, but with the amount of fanfic he has had shoved down his throat he’s theoretically an expert. Now from said fanfic’s he has managed to gather one crucial detail in the relationship that is Mavin. He is not a bottom. He isn’t in the fanfictions and he isn’t going to be in real life. Gavin is a needy little bitch so if anyone is getting a dick shoved up them it’s him. And since Gavin initiated the kiss he’s clearly going for the dominant role and Michael is not fucking having it. He needs to take control. 

Both Michael and Gavin have rough, chapped lips that stick together and come apart with a dry smack, which won’t do of course so Michael starts to rectify this. First he parts his lips to grasp Gavin’s bottom lip between them. Gavin, as vocal as he always is opens his mouth with a breathy moan. Michael then drags his tongue across both of their lips to help them glide together smoothly. He nibbles softly earning him an opened mouth groan that crashes through the apartment and heads straight to his groin.  
With Gavin’s mouth now open, Michael takes it as the invitation it so clearly is and allows his tongue to move in to Gavin’s mouth. He lets his tongue dance across the back of the other male’s teeth, capitalising on something said so long ago. Though he’s a little too drunk to actually count Gavin’s teeth, but from the needy little sounds Gavin is making, he doesn’t care. He then lets his tongue flick against Gavin’s, coaxing it to life in a battle for possession of his mouth, which Michael is going to win. It’s warm and wet, he can feel his blood racing, the colour rushing to his cheeks. 

They finally break apart, gasping for air, foreheads pressed together, their lips so close that Michael can feel Gavin’s breath bouncing of his bottom lip. Slowly Michael opens his eyes and searches the other man’s face.

Gavin still has his eyes tightly shut, his eyebrows furrowed slightly, the tops of his ears tinged a pretty pink. Michael would’ve said he looked adorable if he hadn’t glanced at the others mouth. Gavin’s mouth is still open, wet and red. God his fucking mouth. And then of course he breathes his name so prettily.

_“Michael…”_

Michael pushes back in, claiming his mouth in a hungry kiss, devouring him. He brings his hand up to the hair at the back of Gavin’s neck, holding it in a punishing grip and tugs hard, swallowing the gasp this elicits from the other man. 

He presses a kiss to the corner of his mouth, then his cheek, chin, moving further and further down till he’s sucking on Gavin’s neck, the brit’s hands buried in Michael’s curls, holding on for dear life as he chants his name. 

_“Michael, Michael, Michael…”_

His pants are unbelievably tight but he doesn’t know how to move things along. Afraid that if they break apart now they won’t be able to get back to where they were. 

The decision is taken out of his hands when Gavin pushes himself up onto his knees and swings a leg over Michael’s legs to straddle his thighs.

If there were any doubts before, they’re completely gone now, since Michael can feel Gavin’s erection pressing in to his stomach. Michael would’ve ribbed Gavin for his dumb skinny jeans and how they’re clearly uncomfortably tight, if he wasn’t distracted by Gavin grinding his ass down into Michael’s own proof of arousal. 

_“Fuuuuck…”_ Michael groans long and hard.

_“Yeah”_ Is Gavin’s breathy reply.

Another raspy groan from both men as Gavin moves his hips in a torturous rocking motion. 

Michael tugs Gavin’s shirt to the side as he latches on to the other side of Gavin’s neck, working a hickey into the tanned skin, which will definitely be a problem for morning Michael and Gavin, but for now he’s more focused on the slow drag of blunt fingernails against his scalp. 

Gavin keeps talking, his mouth working out little encouragements like _“So good Michael”_ and _“Fuck right there.”_

Michael works his cock into Gavin clothed ass, thrusting up as Gavin grinds down. When Michael had got on board with doing this with Gavin he’d began wondering if he had the stuff to actually get it on with him, but it’s becoming increasingly clear to him that he’s going to come in his pants like a teenager. 

And when Michael breaks his mouth away from Gavin’s neck to groan, and growls,

“You love what I give to you don’t you?”

All it takes for Michael is Gavin softly breathing into his ear _“Love your cock Michael”._

He bites down hard on Gavin’s neck and cums in his pants, the other Gavin following quickly after.

He leans his head back against the couch, Gavin’s rested on his shoulder and he only has one thing to say. 

“Fuck”


	3. Be the Goldfish

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The next morning Michael decides that ignoring the situation is the best way to go. If only his brain would agree.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a side note, I named this chapter because Goldfish are synonymous with forgetfulness but it's actually not true. They can actually recall up to five months. Okay I'm done.

The first thing Michael registers when he wakes up in the morning is that his head is pounding. 

The second thing he registers is the giant crick in his neck from how his head from how he’s slept. He can’t even remember why he slept on the couch in the first place when his comfy bed is only a few feet away. 

That is until he registers the third thing. Dried cum in his boxers. He sits up quickly ignoring what the rush does to his head because Jesus fucking Christ he had fucking sex with Gavin last night. 

Gavin.

Not only that but he came in has pants like some horny fifteen-year-old virgin. What the fuck is his life. 

He glances to his side but Gavin isn’t there, he must have fucked off sometime later that night. Which thankfully allows Michael the time to freak the fuck out.

So he’s had sex with Gavin, what next?

For starters, it can never, ever happen again. Not that it was bad sex, actually from what he can remember, it was actually pretty good. Which leads to his second point, he needs to do some serious introspection and figure out why he suddenly decided some dick on dick action was a good idea. He can honestly say he’s never been interested in touching another guys junk before, unless you include jokingly poking at Gavin’s, which he now realises is going to be difficult in the future now that he’s had it grinded into him. Finally, no-one else can ever know, they’d never live it down. Which means the most important part is finding Gavin and making sure they’re on the same page.

Plan of action sorted he grabs some painkillers and gets himself ready for what is bound to be an interesting day at work. 

 

Except there was one thing that Michael had forgot to factor in when he was formulating his plan of action.

Lindsay, mother fucking, Tuggey. 

While the two of them were no longer together Lindsay was still his ride to and from work which was really biting him in the ass as they made their way to work. And while he was being honest about their amicable parting it was kinda weird riding in a car with your ex when you’ve just had sex with another guy.

Seeing Lindsay also reminded him of what Gavin had said before they had stuck their tongues down each other’s throats. 

 

_“I just wanted to take away your Lindsay heartbreak.”_

 

Did Gavin pity fuck him because he thought he was depressed over his break up with Lindsay?

That really makes a man feel good about himself, but then again he doubts Gavin would get all up in his junk because of pity. That would take effort on his part and unless it’s to do with work Gavin is a lazy piece of shit. 

“Do you want to tell me what’s wrong?” Lindsay asks pulling Michael away from his thoughts.

“Wrong, why would you think something was wrong?” Michael replies but even though her eyes don’t move from the road he can still see the pointedly risen eyebrow and sighs in defeat. 

“Nothing’s wrong exactly, just difficult” he tries to reason.

“Do you want to tell me what’s difficult then?”

Which, while it’s nice to know Lindsay is there for him, her presence is already testing the tell no-one part of his action plan and he’s only been in the car with her for ten minutes. 

“The difficult thing won’t be difficult if I don’t talk about it.”

Lindsay just scoffs at his response. “When has ignoring a problem ever worked?”

“I’m not ignoring anything, I’ve worked through the problem and decided that saying fuck it to the problem is the best solution. Now you done being my mother?”

“Alright no need to get bent out of shape, I thought no longer being your girlfriend would mean I get to avoid you waking up on the wrong side of the bed.”

“Well you should’ve broken my heart and fucked off out of my life but unfortunately I need a ride.”

Lindsay laughs and glances over with a bright smile. “This ride is closed after I drop you off so I hope you’ve planned another way home.”

“Yeah I got it.”

For the rest of the ride they talk about the latest episode of Game of Thrones and who they ultimately want to take the throne. 

 

When he gets to the office he’s the first one there so he settles down to edit while he waits for the other guys to filter in. 

Michael remains in a happy little world of denial while completely forgetting the events of last night, that is until the rather loud arrival of one Gavin Free.

“Leave it alone Geoff you mingy little prick”

“But you’ve become a man my boy.” Geoff replies whilst poking at the brit’s neck.

Michael removes headphones and glances towards the two of them.

“Shut up Geoff, I was already a man”

“So why is Gavin a man now?” Ray pipes up from his desk.

“Gavin got laid last night and judging by the state of his neck she was a feisty one.” Geoff laughs poking at Gavin’s neck.

Michael’s eyes are instantly drawn to the red bruise decorating the side of Gavin’s neck and he needs a fucking minute to process things, because he fucking put it there. 

“It’s not my first time having sex Geoff.” Gavin sighs batting away the hand that’s prodding the mark and Michael resists the urge to say ‘first time with a guy’ But then he thinks about how Gavin never hesitated once last night and that perhaps it wasn’t his first time with a guy at all. Michael decides to stop thinking about it. 

“So who’s the girl?” Jack asks and Michael goes incredibly still and doesn’t realise he’s holding his breath till he sighs in relief at Gavin’s reply.

“Just a bird I met at the bar last night.” 

“Didn’t the feathers get in the way?” 

“What?”

“I think Jack was trying to make a joke. Now hurry up and get to work, I don’t pay you to sit around all day.” Geoff says poking Gavin in the side earning the first squawk of the day. 

“Technically that’s exactly what you pay us for.” Ray comments, but Michael isn’t paying attention more focused on Gavin coming to sit next to him. 

Gavin sits in his seat offers a simple “morning boi” and then he’s knuckling down to do some work. Michael manages to look calm on the outside but on the inside he’s really confused. Gavin didn’t react in any way. Nothing. If it weren’t for the massive bruise decorating his neck Michael would’ve thought he had made the entire thing up, or that it was a particularly vivid wet dream. But it definitely happened and this non reaction from Gavin was throwing him for a loop. 

Michael remained self-conscious for the rest of the day and it was definitely bleeding through to his performance in videos, though no one mentioned. This was aggravated by the infuriating fact that Gavin was being his usual, obnoxious, irritating self. By the end of the day Michael was more than a little pissed off and when they’d all finished up he grabbed Gavin by the arm and dragged him to a secluded part of the office, ignoring the high pitched protests from his prisoner offering a quick “Just borrowing him for a bit Geoff” over his shoulder, and ignoring the colourful commentary from Ray.

Never mind an imaginary “quickie in a closet” Michael had to sort out his actual Mavin tryst. 

 

Once far enough from anyone who could find them he tugged Gavin roughly by the arm, spinning him, then pushing him up against the wall. 

“Jesus Christ Michael! What’s the big idea?”

“What’s the big idea he asks! You tell me?” Michael growls in frustration.

“I honestly have no idea what you're on about boi”

“What i'm on about is the fact is we had sex last night.” Michael hisses out.

“No we didn’t” is Gavin’s deadpan response, which what?

“What? Yes we did.”

“No we didn’t”

“Yes we did!”

“Nope”

“Yes we did”

“No” Gavin stresses “we didn’t”

“Yes we fucking-”

“Michael. Nothing happened. Now I’ve got to go before Geoff leaves me behind, later boi.”

Then Gavin runs off to catch his ride. 

So Gavin is definitely on the same page about the never, ever mentioning it again, which should make Michael happy. 

 

 

Except it doesn’t.


End file.
